(HY.GEN.IC) | Promote & Preserve Creativity

TheGlint – San Francisco, CA

Corbin Cones — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:57:36 +0000

PROLOGUE BY: MEG DUFFY (HYG) NYC

INTERVIEW BY: LAURIE LOUISE (HYG) NYC

What happens when 7 strangers are picked to live together and work on creative projects? The answer is a lot of productivity, actually. Welcome to TheGlint, a live-in creative community nestled into the hills of San Francisco’s Twin Peaks neighborhood. It was founded by Damian Madray, Alexandros Pagidas and Charles Lee. While the collective cohabitation aspect may parallel a certain MTV reality series, the similarities stop there.

Co-founder Damian Madray explains that while plenty of other co-living spaces have preceded them, “What makes TheGlint different at its core is the mission to redesign heroism. Our approach is multi-dimensional which is often described as broad because we focus on different disciplines instead of one, like just entrepreneurship or arts. The reason we like to intersect arts, science, philosophy, music, entrepreneurship and design is simply because multiple perspectives generally create more intelligent individuals.” This melange of mediums creates a rich learning environment teeming with inspiration for everyone involved.

Don’t be fooled by the expansive space –TheGlint members are, as Damian insists, “more than creatives in a mansion.” Whether they’re holding an event or critiquing a member’s work, TheGlint crew is about creating more than a man in a suit. “Most accelerators and incubators focus on business and the money,” Damian adds, “and that’s great. What we are aiming to do is inspire better humans because being heroic is not necessarily about making billions.”

One of the ways Damian puts this “better human” ethos into practice is through ArtFlux, a self-described “participatory art experience.” Damian elaborates, “The profit from each exhibition’s ticket sales goes toward a non-profit. We’ve worked with HopeMob.org and HackerDojo.com for the first go at ArtFlux. It’s also not just about raising funds but bringing awareness to their causes – the positive impact we want to inspire everyone to have.” This Saturday, they’re throwing the final ArtFlux which is based around the message of “hope through human experiences.” The lineup includes electronic violinist Katarina Visnevska and musician DJ Teeko Chris Black. Damian insists that the show is a unique artistic affair. “ArtFlux creates a new level of experience because of its setting. It’s intimate. You can walk up as closely as possible and see the intensity, the passion and the love the artists have for what they do. You experience the art and the artist.”

BEHIND THE BRAND

Laurie Louise: So, TheGlint: a beautifully-constructed brand concept for an innovative take on a familiar setting. TheGlint is embodied by a mansion in San Francisco where great minds live, create, grow, and collaborate. At first glance, as it seems was the case with your Business Insider interview, one recalls not current episodes of MTV’s The Real World, but instead the previous seasons we remember, when the show was still poised to reveal the kind of productivity and success that could result from co-ed cohabitation. Of course, when we look back at what may have predicated the entire Reality TV crisis of the past decade, one cannot help but benevolently ask why TheGlint is different—why living together is the foundation for this community, how you choose your heroes, and what the energy has been like so far. Perhaps, you may even want to offer a rebuttal to Boonsri Dickinson as to why being vibrant, young, and a fully-expressed artist engaged in the quintessential suite of extracurricular activities is actually a formidable driver of that energy…in which case, we’d love to host your response.

Damian Madray: Thanks for the kind words. Anyone who compares TheGlint to any TV show is being shortsighted. If MTV’s The Real World was poised to reveal any sort of productivity from co-living, they were naïve because camera changes “real” people’s behavior; it was never real. Productive people usually don’t have the time to sit in front of the camera unless it’s their job. There’s no camera at TheGlint. There’s no audience watching our every move. Just us creatives.

Firstly, we should identify that there are many other co-living spaces who’ve come and done this before. We’ve borrowed their ideas because we were inspired by them. What makes TheGlint different at its core is the mission to redesign heroism. What people should understand is that there’s many ways to redesign heroism; many accelerators, incubators and co-living spaces take their own approach. They take a one- dimensional approach.

Our approach is multidimensional, which is often described as broad because we focus on different disciplines instead of one, like just entrepreneurship or arts. The reason we like to intersect arts, science, philosophy, music, entrepreneurship, and design is simply because multiple perspectives generally create more intelligent individuals. An artist can learn from an entrepreneur; an entrepreneur can learn from a scientist. It encourages people to step out of their bubbles, push beyond their comfort zones, and exchange ideas. What innovations and collaborations spring out of these activities is what’s exciting to discover.

We don’t choose our heroes. We choose individuals who have the potential to become modern day heroes. We then seek to create a space that will accelerate and inspire their progress. The concept of co-living is great for accelerating heroes because it requires a lot of small details that generally make you a better human being. For example, one of our residents injured his legs and this prompted our members with cars to offer rides to him should he need to go anywhere. This is now evolving into a system that we can apply to anyone living at TheGlint. This is a clear cut example of consideration for others – we all would agree that’s a noble trait for any human to possess.

Most accelerators and incubators focus on business, the money and that’s great. What we are aiming to do is inspire better humans because being heroic is not necessarily about making billions.

What makes TheGlint different is our devotion to an ideal. Obviously we’re fans of comic books and their movies, so when it was said that Batman should devote himself to an ideal, he’ll become more than a man in a suit. Well, the same logic is applied here. We want to devote ourselves to an ideal so as to become more than creatives in a mansion – a label we battle against every day.

The energy is good. It could be better. We’ve made mistakes by not clearly setting expectations prior to staying at TheGlint. We’ve had individuals who didn’t seem to care as much about our ideals as we did. These little mistakes affect the overall energy of the community.

Laurie Louise: Tell us about some of the creatives who live at TheGlint?

Damian Madray: We have some impressive individuals at TheGlint but I’ll name just a few. There’s Daniel Marienthal who’s working on MeetCute, the most romantic way to meet someone. We have Scott McLeod who’s working on Pursuit.me which empowers you to accomplish your goals by leveraging social assets. William Hsu at CodeEval connects developers to large companies for job opportunities. Kristy Hilands, an artists, working on 3 pieces and an upcoming exhibition at TheGlint. Arthur Woods is the co-founder of Compass Fellowship who identifies passionate young innovators and empower them to develop meaningful solutions to the world’s greatest problems. Like I said, I can only name a few.

Laurie Louise: Let’s talk about ArtFlux. Highly recognizable, especially on the West Coast, for its endorsement of evocative, excellent art work—this seems to be a place where people can feel like curators, like they personally discovered an underground artist. Damian, I know you don’t get behind shallow projects, so talk to us about where ArtFlux finds its depth, why ArtFlux isn’t just a poster store, and how ArtFlux discovers the work it displays. Talk to us about the community behind ArtFlux, because I think the community of people who get that feeling when they buy canvases from your site might be a lot more similar to the community of people producing the art you show than would be immediately apparent.

Damian Madray: ArtFlux ties quite closely into the ideals of TheGlint by connecting art with technology and entrepreneurship. It’s an exhibition where we curated some of the best artists we could find in different disciplines to create a human experience.

But ArtFlux is not just an exhibition; rather it has the capability to become a platform where art can do good. The profit from each exhibition’s ticket sales goes toward a nonprofit. We’ve worked with HopeMob.org and HackerDojo.com so far. It’s also not just about raising funds but bringing awareness to their causes – the positive impact we want to inspire everyone to have.

ArtFlux is not necessarily a community as much as it is bringing together communities. One of its initiatives is to bring members of tech entrepreneurship together with artists in various disciplines. Many of the artists are collaborating for the first time after meeting each other at TheGlint. We even had the US premiere of ‘Serie Rose’ by Fifth House Ensemble at TheGlint through ArtFlux.

In ArtFlux, we featured Andrew Jones, who’s worked for Nintendo and George Lucas. He’s a world-renowned digital artist with a specialty of creating art in live performances. Another featured artist is DJ Teeko is part of Mugpush; he co-invented his own turntable and represented the USA at turntable championships internationally. We’ve got Adam and Melissa from Fifth House Ensemble who’ve been mentioned in the New York Times. These are just to name a few of the talents being exhibited.

Laurie Louise: To that end—the event ArtFlux is producing on Saturday would quell some of the above questions. Championing the message of “Hope Through Human Experiences,” you are taking an incredibly diverse community of creative-minded people—chamber musicians, burlesque dancers, digital artists, visual DJ set manipulators—and calling them beacons of hope. Neil Strauss, enigmatic rock journalist, is known for asking the musicians he interviews whether they would continue to write and play music if they knew no one would ever hear it, and the purist would certainly maintain that the craft supersedes the crowd. However, it seems as if experiencing the work your heroes produce is ACTUALLY what is tantamount for you. Is that the case? Why? And what does that mean about how we define “creatives” today? Are they creators or are they creative, or are they simply capable of perceiving any angle of beauty?

Damian Madray: Truth be told, I didn’t put it into perspective that the artists as beacons of hope, but now that you say it and I think of it. Yes. ‘Hope Through Human Experiences’ really means that the people come and experience art, something we think is very human and in their experience, and hope is given by helping these non-profits. Since the single point of creation for all this is through the artists, they are indeed beacons of hope. Thanks for putting that into perspective.

It’s one thing to go to a museum and look at art. Are you really experiencing it? When musicians are on stage, are you experiencing it? The answer is actually yes, but what is the quality of experience? ArtFlux creates a new level of experience because of its setting. It’s intimate. You can walk up as closely as possible and see the intensity, the passion, and the love the artists have for what they do. You experience the art and also the artist. Do you ever experience this in other settings? The answer is no, unless they do exactly this.

We like to say that anyone who stays at TheGlint falls under the umbrella of “creative.” Too often, people have the perception that creatives are just visual artists, but that’s not true. Creatives are creators, people who have the ability to tap into psyche and create. Artists are creatives. Entrepreneurs are creatives. They just have different perspectives as to how to be creative.

ARTFLUX RE-CAP I

ARTFLUX RE-CAP II

Laurie Louise: One cannot help but be aware of TheGlint’s very established terminology. Of course, we know that the language used around a product or a brand is vital to its public perception, but the “hero” motif that saturates explanations of your mission is powerful–in it, the group asserts itself as “a pervasive force of good in the world.” As a linguist, I’m intrigued by this theme of heroism and how it defines not only the relevance of what will be produced by this project, but the role of creativity for our generation. Some members of your team explain their personal definition of “heroism,” but what was the genesis of this noble claim in the first place?

Damian Madray: Hero is indeed powerful. Redesigning it is even more bold. I love how in this question, “hero” is essentially used to describe creatives. If that’s what our brand stands for, then we’ve achieved more than we expected.

This noble claim came from humble beginnings. (This is information that no one has; it’s never been shared.) The idea of “hero” resonated with all of us after Charles, the third co-founder, had come up with a mantra for another company he and I worked on called Heroic Apps. Here’s how we came up with that name:

There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them. – D Waitley

BACKSTORY:
Over the holiday weekend, I (Charles) had a chance to visit some of my old friends and make some new ones. I attended a church business conference in Los Angeles and was prayed over by a young pastor that suffered from a form of degenerative blindness. He said something that resonated with me and I feel that I’m supposed to share this with you guys.

He spoke about being a “hero” for people and building a company that would empower/ inspire millions of others. When he looked at me he saw a light bulb that was glowing (no kidding). He told me to “think like a hero” and from that moment I knew we not only had a company name but a culture, and a vision.

Introducing HERO Inc.: a company that is committed to spreading inspiration through technology, design, and innovation. We are looking for HERO developers, HERO designers, HERO partners…who aren’t afraid to think like HEROes.

I believe that being innovative and creative is what many people and companies strive to represent. But I really feel that we have an opportunity to do more as a business and as leaders. Google’s corporate philosophy is “Don’t be Evil” or “Do no Evil.” I hope through our work together, we can build a great culture that is centered on the idea of not just being good but inspirational.

That I copied straight from our brainstorm. That’s the initiation. We called our company HeroicApps. When we started the idea of TheGlint, Alexandros came across it and loved it as well. That single point was responsible for what we have today as a concept of ‘redesigning heroism’.

Laurie Louise: Furthermore, this is a far cry from the romanticized idea of the starving artist and the willingness to struggle in the name of one’s craft. The space you are providing is fresh, open, and arguably luxurious. Are we ushering in a new social framework for future generations where great minds rightfully claim a place at the top of the stratosphere?

Damian Madray: Yes. It is different. It’s disruptive to an age-old thinking. Our neighbors, relatively older, aren’t fond of us because they’ve spent years working to get their mansion on a mountain. Now here we have us, in a mansion, on their mountain and what’s the average age? 25.

This is something we’re quite proud of because why are we living in a society where a 6,500 sq. foot home should be for a husband and wife with two kids and a dog? Just because you feel you’re entitled to it doesn’t mean you should have it. It’s excessive; we cannot afford to do this anymore. If you look throughout history, some of the greatest minds the world has known died in poverty and lived in poor conditions. Only after their deaths were they recognized. I’m not generalizing because Steve Jobs died a billionaire and he was a great mind, he was also a legendary business thinker. Is that what we truly need to be taken into the stratosphere?

This model is ushering many things; it’s an example of the sharing economy. It’s proof that there’s a need for change from the old thinking. It’s a signal that change is on the horizon and the old ways of thinking will phase out by the new generation of creatives. TheGlint, will not be the last such collective and hopefully we will inspire other such collectives to take it one step further than we did.

We Are Trees – Virginia Beach, VA

Corbin Cones — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:19:08 +0000

CORBIN CONES (HYG) SF

You ever get that feeling where life just seems to take you along for an unexpected ride? Like these serendipitous events occur based on simple choices that, if altered, would prevent the pieces of the grand puzzle from interlocking? It’s as if you just walked into a production set and you realized you were the protagonist the entire time. It’s that feeling you get when you meet that special someone: that unique individual who holds the power to make time stop, the room freeze, and take your breath away as soon as your eyes touch.

The feeling of being lost and found at the same moment is something we’ve all experienced. We can never predict when it’s going to occur, where it will lead us and consequently where it will end. It’s just an instinctively ingrained experience that can never be consciously replicated. This collective memory separates those who are just simply alive from those who are actually living; for the latter, it’s what makes life that much more special.

We Are Trees closely approximates this feeling in their music, making their sound resonate universally. As the industry continues to grow with lo-fi establishments, We Are Trees have mastered that lo-fi aesthetic while creating a distinct sound that’s second to none. Forming in Virginia Beach, VA the band focuses their production on nurturing fidelity as a living, breathing art purest – their invigorating approach results in a sound that’s very much alive. Between the ebb and flow of the violin, the clicks and snaps of drumsticks, the sharp, sophisticated acoustic guitar, and the sunny voice of James Nee—the results don’t need further explanation.

WE ARE TREES – SUNRISE SUNSET

Devonté Hynes – New York, NY

Corbin Cones — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:54:38 +0000

MEG DUFFY (HYG) NYC

In life, the only thing constant is change; one can either resist it or adapt to it. British composer, songwriter, producer and author Devonté Hynes, better known as Lightspeed Champion or Blood Orange, understood this concept at an early age. Born in Houston,Texas; raised in Essex, England; Devonté currently resides in New York City. His extensive travels and musical involvement correspond with his eclectic character and robust resumé.

From 2004 to 2006, Hynes was a prominent member of the band Light Speed and later became a member of the band Test Icicles, playing guitar, synth, and occasionally performing vocals. Somehow, he also found time to write and contribute songs to acts like Florence and the Machine, Diana Vickers and The Chemical Brothers. He contributed to Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree, co-written with Diana Vickers, which debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart.

After the end of a two year touring period with various acts, Hynes suffered severe damage to his throat. Following extensive surgery he wisely took a break. During his two and a half year hiatus from touring, he occasionally played shows in New York and snagged a top-billed slot at the Carling Festival in 2009. **Most recently, he assisted Theophilus London with his 2011 Lovers Holiday EP. It’s as if this man operates on a 25/8/366 regimen.**

With Lightspeed Champion currently taking a break, Devonté decided to concentrate on a new electronica-inspired musical project called ‘Blood Orange’. On April 9, 2012, he embarked on a tour as Blood Orange opening for Florence + The Machine. Hynes travels light: onstage, it’s just him, his guitar, and his laptop. No one knows what the future holds, but it’s safe to say that Hynes is well-equipped to handle whatever comes his way.

BLOOD ORANGE- SUTPHIN BOULEVARD

The Drums – Brooklyn, NY

Corbin Cones — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:44:32 +0000

MEG DUFFY (HYG) NYC

While touring for months across the States, Europe, and Australia, The Drums had plenty of time to contemplate their sophomore album. The Drums channeled their efforts to capture the essence of Americana in a single record. During the recording process, the band pieced together tracks in frontman Jonny Pierce’s kitchen. The resulting LP, Portamento, finds the band shedding their innocent sound for a more mature feel.

The band’s latest track, “Days”, pairs poppy melodies and harmonies with nostalgic lyrics for a sound that’s simultaneously summery and despondent. At first, the instrumentals sound like the perfect soundtrack to a day’s worth of driving up the Pacific Highway. Suddenly, Pierce launches into a chorus of “Days go by/and I never needed you.” Now that baseline sounds a little more like The Cure than California surf rock. As the song progresses, the chorus sounds less like an affirmation and more like an attempt to create the truth.

Sadness never sounded so sweet.

THE DRUMS – DAYS

Deep Sea Diver – Seattle, WA

Corbin Cones — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:58:36 +0000

GISELLE CHILDS (HYG) DC

As lead singer of Deep Sea Diver, Jessica Dobson’s musical resume demands attention and respect. Currently the lead guitarist for The Shins, Dobson has also rocked alongside the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Beck, both idols of the indie music world. She started Deep Sea Diver as a solo project back in 2007, but by 2010, it became a full-fledged band that has opened shows for Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band.

Deep Sea Diver’s debut album, “History Speaks,” which dropped back in February, features their lead single “Ships.” Dobson’s voice on this track hits you from the get-go, all clear and lovely. Subdued instrumentals back her up, quietly bolstering her sound yet never overpowering her words. A little melancholy and superbly listenable, “Ships” is the kind of song that sails straight for the heart and drops anchor.

DEEP SEA DIVER – SHIPS

Matthew Green – San Francisco, CA

Corbin Cones — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:54:55 +0000

INTERVIEW BY: MEG DUFFY (HYG) NYC

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EDGAR NELSON OBRAND • LEAF

These days, Matt Green, Director of LEAF Productions, works behind the camera; however, in his teen years, he had dreams of being in front of it. He recalls, “I was active in theater: lots of one act plays, contest and formal training. I originally wanted to go to college for theater, but after my first year I realized I needed to be in a better atmosphere with more motivated people.” This call to arms spurred him to move from his childhood home in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, to pursue film school in New York City. “I’m still paying for it, but hell, it was worth it,” he insists. “It was a seven days a week intensive program with rarely any breaks for holidays. Plus, that’s where I met Scott Stinnett, the founder of LEAF.”

While he was no stranger to teamwork, Matt began to collaborate on a larger scale when he joined forces with Scott. “During our second year, we pretty much shot a new short film each week because no one else in the class had any ideas,” he laughs. “He and I worked a lot together and eventually collaborated on my thesis film. LEAF rarely picks up new team members, but if we do, it’s usually a close friend whom we trust and who kills it in his or her respective medium.”

Film school is a great place to learn the basics, but some of the business’s more nuances must be learned through practice. For example, reconciling personal tastes with client needs requires a delicate balance. “When doing commercial jobs, you have little to no say in things.” Matt explains. “Basically you’re a triggerman, a hired eyeball with scissors for hands. LEAF-y ideas are extremely awesome, but can be extremely unconventional. As history shows, people are always afraid of something that’s different.”

LEAF has only formally existed for two years, but they already experience with heavy-hitting clients. For example, Roger Wyett, the former Hurley Clothing CEO and current President of NIKE affiliates, gave the LEAF team a workout. “A year back, [Wyett] put us on a project for the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach,” Matt recalls. “The goal was to premiere a 20-minute documentary with a correlating art installation in a little over a month. During postproduction of the film, he personally made time everyday to see our edits and discuss ideas, which is rare for a corporate executive. Mr. Wyett was pleased with the final product and so was I, considering the time frame.”

Don’t get it twisted; being a filmmaker isn’t a straight shot to the glamorous life. Most of the time, Matt says, “You’re filming someone’s real-estate commercial or a stupid retail store blog post. Being a filmmaker these days is like being a journalist before Internet: about once a year, you get a great story. The other 364 days is just a waste of creative energy.” To pay the bills and fill gaps between projects, the LEAF crew freelances. However, Matt explains. “LEAF freelances because we gotta eat. Hopefully one day the projects we care about the most will feed our families and us. Visual creation is our forte and I can’t wait to be self-sustainable and producing in all four branches: Film, Architecture, Design, and Clothing.” Judging by the progress the group has made so far, that day isn’t too far away. “LEAF isn’t a commodity; it’s an entity,” he contends. “The driving force behind the company is that instinctive feeling we as humans share: pure imaginative creation.”

UNDERSTANDING THE ARTIST:

Meg Duffy: Describe the path that led you to your present position. What are your earliest memories of working with film? Did you receive formal training, or are you self-taught? At what moment did you decide to translate this hobby into a career?

Matthew Green: I grew up ditching school for the movies. Luckily, my friends were down, too, and my father would sometimes pull me out of class for a flick, a Star Wars exhibit or a film festival. This led to making music and skate videos and really bad comedy shorts in high school for the broadcasting club. Simultaneously, I was active in theater: lots of one act plays, contest and formal training. I originally wanted to go to college for theater, but after my first year I realized I needed to be in a better atmosphere with more motivated people. That is when I moved to New York City and took out a hefty loan for a private film school, the kind where you show up with a check and they give you a camera. I’m still paying for it, but hell, it was worth it. It was a seven days a week intensive program with rarely any breaks for holidays. Plus, that’s where I met Scott Stinnett, the founder of LEAF.

Meg Duffy: Did you grow up in Southern California, or did you relocate there later in life? How do you feel your surroundings impact your work?

Matthew Green: I was raised on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, in a suburb called Clear Lake. It use to be a small fishing and boating town when my parents were young; now it’s pretty much like Orange County: overdeveloped and lots of conservatives. Not saying that is a bad thing, just not my cup of tea. I’ve never officially lived in Southern CA; I just work down there a bunch. SF is where I rest.

Meg Duffy: How has working with a team changed your process and perspective? When you’re recruiting, what qualities do you look for in a new team member?

Matthew Green: I have always worked with a team. In filmmaking, you rely on a group of creative, motivated and highly skilled people to make an entertaining movie. The better the team, the better the flick. In film school, I was fortunate enough to be in the same class as Scott. During our second year we pretty much shot a new short film each week because no one else in the class had any ideas. He and I worked a lot together and eventually collaborated on my thesis film. LEAF rarely picks up new team members, but if we do, it’s usually a close friend whom we trust and who kills it in his or her respective medium.

Meg Duffy: How do you reconcile your artist vision with the client’s needs?

Matthew Green: It depends. If they’re fronting the entire bill for the production (time plus materials) then you have to walk on eggshells. LEAF-y ideas are extremely awesome, but can be extremely unconventional. As history shows, people are always afraid of something that’s different.

Meg Duffy: How do you overcome mental roadblocks/writer’s block? When things become stale, how do you shake things up?

Matthew Green: Solitude.

Meg Duffy: Have any of your clients really pushed your boundaries creatively and really challenged your approach? Tell me more!

Matthew Green: LEAF as a commercial business is still very new; we formalized the company not even two years ago. So far, we’ve worked with a handful of people, from huge companies to small start-ups. That being said, we haven’t collaborated with anyone who’s fully pushed the creative limits of our diverse group. Although I will say this, there’s a gentleman named Roger Wyett who put LEAF through the grinder once. He was the CEO at Hurley Clothing and now the President of NIKE affiliates.

A year back, he put us on a project for the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. The goal was to premiere a 20-minute documentary with a correlating art installation. We had a little over a month to pull it together, and when you have over 200 hours of footage and hundreds of photos, that goal can seem out of sight. During postproduction of the film, he personally made time everyday to see our edits and discuss ideas, which is rare for a corporate executive. After not sleeping for a month, we premiered the film with the connecting photography and audio exhibit. Mr. Wyett was pleased and so was I, considering the time frame. That was a great experience with a great executive producer; I hope one day we can make a soccer commercial for him.

Meg Duffy: Many of the videos on your site are music videos, surf shorts, and other artistic pieces. Have you ever worked on more commercial projects? If so, do you have to take a different approach?

Matthew Green: Of course. When doing commercial jobs, you have little to no say in things. Basically you’re a triggerman, a hired eyeball with scissors for hands. The man pays you for efficiency and maybe a little creative intuition. Sometimes the gigs are sweet, like shooting with ESPN at the X Games, touring with the Glowers around America, or flying to Japan for some surfing videos. But most of the time, they suck because you’re filming someone’s real-estate commercial or a stupid retail store blog post. Being a filmmaker these days is like being a journalist before Internet: about once a year, you get a great story. The other 364 days is just a waste of creative energy.

LEAF freelances because we gotta eat. Hopefully one day the projects we care about the most will feed our families and us.

Meg Duffy: Do you ever shoot analog videos, or are you exclusively digital? If you’ve shot both, how do you think the medium influences your approach?

Matthew Green: Film flows, digital blows. Too bad film is bad for the environment and expensive as hell. All LEAFers see things in film format; we share that quality. There’s just a higher demand for digital; it’s quick to turn around and it’s cheap.

Meg Duffy: How has your social network helped you unearth new projects? Tell me about a time when you forged a relationship under otherwise unusual circumstances.

Matthew Green: Most our gigs emerge through word of mouth. We’re not Internet viral yet. Which is a good thing because LEAF isn’t a commodity; it’s an entity.

Meg Duffy: How do you pick your projects? If faced with a decision between two projects, are there certain criteria you use to choose which one to pursue?

Matthew Green: Filmmaking and photography installations take a ton of time and work. We choose the projects that we know the effort will be worth a damn and will progress us as individual artists and as a company.

Meg Duffy: You’ve got your hands in a lot of different projects: art installations, video production, fashion. How do all these pieces fit together? What’s the driving force behind this operation?

Matthew Green: The kind of media we focus on is very much connected. The same programs we use to create a tee shirt graphic can be used to design a photo frame or a building. Visual creation is our forte and I can’t wait for us to be self-sustainable and producing in all four branches: Film, Architecture, Design, and Clothing.

The driving force behind the company is that instinctive feeling we as humans share: pure imaginative creation.

Meg Duffy: What’s next?

Matthew Green: LEAF’s salvation.

Holy Ghost! – New York, NY

Corbin Cones — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:15:12 +0000

CORBIN CONES (HYG) SF

It’s becoming increasingly apparent that we can’t get enough of New York City. We also can’t deny our respect and appreciation for DFA Records, the powerhouse label that calls the Big Apple its home. A couple of months back, we brought you The Rapture and their hit “Sail Away” remixed by DFA labelmates Cut Copy. But to start this week off in the right direction, we’re going to inform you about the band that’s been on constant repeat within the HYG team coast to coast; hence, Holy Ghost!

Holy Ghost! are an electropop duo from New York City consisting of Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel. Both bandmates grew up on the Upper West Side of New York City. Their voices may sound familiar to a few island dwellers, as they initially served as members of the hip-hop group called Automato. Though, after the release of one album, Automato dissolved, and it seemed as if Millhiser and Frankel had hit a fork in the road.

Deciding whether to continue one’s passion or cut losses is something every creative has faced once in life. However, Millhiser and Frankel refused to let one hurdle disrupt their creative energy; instead, they continued to work on music. For their following projects, they toned down the hip-hop vibe and decided to create tracks with more vocals and pop-inspired arrangements. As time progressed, the duo remixed tracks for industry front runners including Moby, Cut Copy and MGMT. This constant momentum pushed the duo to new frontiers. Once they began touring with labelmates LCD Soundsystem, their stage presence was solidified both in the States and abroad.

Bottom line, hard work pays off and Holy Ghost! is the archetype of this mantra. As one of our previous artists stated, “do it for the love, keep it genuine, and just work hard… everyone who does that ends up winning, right?” - Modele Oyewole (HYG) DC

HOLY GHOST! – HOLD MY BREATH

Bugseed x ill.Sugi. – Tokyo, Japan

Corbin Cones — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:49:13 +0000

CORBIN CONES (HYG) SF

Earlier this week we stumbled upon Bugseed, a Japanese underground beat-smith, and his collaborative effort with ill.sugi. Considering that it’s Friday and the weekend is almost here, we thought it would be best to drop this motivational music today.

Whether you’re realizing it could be a late night at the office or you’re just counting down the hours until 5PM, this track will be sure to make you move with haste so you can get to where you need to be.

Comprised of vibrant melodies, rhythms, and tones, each listen is guaranteed to give the mind a sense of focus. File this track under ‘short and sweet,’ just like some of the best things we experience in life.

Shane Coffey – Los Angeles, CA

Corbin Cones — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:07:01 +0000

Shane Coffey fancies himself an artist interested in photography, filmmaking, writing, and music. Born in Houston, Texas, Shane left home at 16 to live alone in the West while taking pictures, failing auditions, and finishing high school online.

He found inspiration in Weegee by Weegee, a fantastic autobiography by photojournalist Arthur Fellig, aka Weegee. In the book, Weegee advises beginning-photographers to stop taking pictures of their friends and focus the lens on strangers. Being alone in Los Angeles, Shane states, “I had a lot of time to practice this method. It gave me confidence and helped me develop the eye that I have today.”

Though he finds the immediacy of digital photography very fascinating, most of what he shoots is on film, using a Minolta. To summarize his passion for film Shane states, “I’m currently having a love affair with black & white.”

Alphabetics – San Jose, Costa Rica

Corbin Cones — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:11:55 +0000

GISELLE CHILDS (HYG) DC

Alphabetics may hail from San Jose, Costa Rica, but their music sends out a clear call to action in a universal language: just dance. And believe us, you’re not going to be able to stop yourself.

The technical definition of alphabetics is “the science of representing spoken sounds by letters,” so picture this: giant, bold letters pouring out of your speakers headed straight for your ears. That’s what Alphabetics’s music is like; it’s loud, it’s in your face, and it’s awesome.

The group describes themselves as a “five-piece punk band with lots of energy, chaos, and dance hall beats.” Quite frankly, we can’t define them better ourselves. On their song “Frutista,” you’ll hear a major dose of their up-tempo, high-energy sound. It’s infectious, compelling, and really catchy.

As the chorus drops with the repeated punch of “never gonna make it alone,” resign yourself to the fact that this line will stay in your head for days to come. Be happy about this; the song brings nothing but good vibes, embrace it! We did.

And if you’re looking to further your knowledge on Alphabetics, watch this video closely. We weren’t sure exactly what to make of it. Is it just plain weird? Super genius? Both? One thing is for certain: it is definitely creative.